September
by Twisted Twilight
Summary: As the Guardians grow closer, a soul is left to fester. Right and wrong were never that clear, and the line between them gets more blurry by the day. What do you do when your demon is a child?
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

_Wake me up when September ends_

Avery would sing when he was gone

_The innocent can never last_

No one could hear her but Billy, but she still sang

_Falling from the stars_

She couldn't even remember the words properly, not in order anyway. She blamed that on lack of practice

_Like my Fathers come to pass_

Her father would never let her sing. Thankfully, Billy's father was rarely home. She had asked him about his mother, but the child was sketchy on the details. That was fine with her, she'd be his mother. She was also his friend, caregiver, father, sister, brother… funny how you could be a child's everything when there wasn't anything of you left.

She was there when he got off the bus, she fed him, played with him, read to him, sang him to sleep, sometimes sat up while the child slept wondering if his father would come home tonight. She hoped he wouldn't.

Most of the time she could protect him from his father – soothing the man's anger before it boiled - but she insisted that she shouldn't have to. Even when he was being kind to Billy she hated his presence. She couldn't play with him then, the boy's father enraged at his son's imaginary friend. The kindness was just a lie – one her own father had told her enough. A trick she had believed every time despite her better judgment. The monster always came back no matter how kind the prince could be - Was he a monster that turned into a prince, or a prince that became a monster?

She tried to help when the monster came out, but her fists went straight through the man's back and her screams went unheeded. She frequently had to remind Billy not to mention her around his father, not to worry about her when the monster came out. No one could hurt her anymore.

She had never been allowed to watch television, at least not that she could remember. She lived at the library when she was younger, hoarding books like a squirrel. She hid them from her father – he often burned the ones he found. She stopped bringing books home at some point, choosing instead to memorize the tales. She'd whisper the stories across the dark room to her sister. May had been afraid of the dark but father wouldn't tolerate nightlights.

Avery whispered the same tales to Billy when he couldn't sleep. She didn't have to whisper anymore since Billy was the only one who could hear her, but she whispered all the same. When Billy was asleep she'd lay awake and imagine that his father simply wouldn't come back. The neighbors would call the cops, hell; she'd walk Billy down to the police station herself and coach him in what to say. But as long as that man came home they were stuck. Billy wouldn't leave his father – even if he would, that man would sweet talk his way into anger management classes again.

She fantasized about finding a house in the woods somewhere, the two of them living like the brother and sister in the Grimm's tale. Somehow she doubted that there was enough wild land left anymore to hide them. A hundred years ago, maybe there would have been. She occasionally tried to convince the child to run away with her, but he always backed out.

She kept the house immaculate for Billy to stave away his father's wrath. She'd be cleaning from the time Billy left for school to the time he got back, singing as she went. It was liberating, being invisible and being silent to the world. Avery had been wishing for that since she was five. She was happier now than she'd ever been. She'd help Billy with homework; cook the meal while he cleaned more. They had yet to fail an inspection since Avery arrived. When his father came home – those days when he bothered to come home – Billy would go about his business, acting like Avery wasn't there. She'd stand at attention, watching his father's facial cues and body language, coaching Billy on what to say and how to behave.

Most outbursts could be nulled that way. Some never could, the problem being something other than Billy. She'd advise him even then, telling him when crying would enrage his father and detecting when tears were what the man was after. She had mastered reading people even if her sister never quite had.


	2. Chapter 1

After Pitch 'fled like a little girl who discovered that ponies bit' as Bunnymund put it - they'd all collapsed at Santoff Clausen for a few days before heading home. Not that they planned it that way. Sandy apparently decided that it was time for a break and they all woke up days later in a pile on the floor. Jack had attempted to slip out a window while Tooth was carrying on about schedules and boundaries.

"Normal people use the door." He jumped at the sound of Bunny's voice. He stood in the doorway, running the blade of a boomerang on his finger.

"Normal people - said the giant anthropomorphic rabbit."

The rabbit shrugged. "Where can we find you anyway Frostbite?"

"I uh, guess I'm a nomad."

Bunny only raised an eyebrow. "Ya mean you're homeless."

"Burgess is home."

"We thought ya'd have a snow castle or something. At least an igloo." Bunny paused. Something passed over his face. "Look, kid,"

Jack was gone before he could get another word out. Whatever Bunnymund was about to say, Jack didn't want to hear it.

Weeks later spring had put an end to Burgess'  
snowball fights. The southern hemisphere left him with little land to work with and even fewer children to play with. In truth he could actually take those months off and let nature decide the snow.

He'd been building an ice castle since he left the North Pole. Or maybe it was an igloo – he'd know what to call it once he got a wall to stay up. He'd just pulled himself out of another collapse when he noticed the northern lights hemming the horizon.

Jack grinned before taking off. He was starting to think he'd have to wait another hundred years for Pitch to show his face again before Jack got to see – could he really call them his friends?

One day he'd get up the guts to ask North for some snow globes – or get up the nerve to steal a few. Until then the wind was more than happy to oblige. It playfully dumped him on a rooftop next to a skylight. He was halfway through the window when he thought better of it. There had to be a door somewhere, right?

Jack hadn't bothered with the doors to the workshop in two hundred years, always finding them locked. At least, they were always locked after those first few tries. He felt his face light up when the door actually opened for him. He shook his head as he entered.

No, that was stupid. Of course they'd leave the doors unlocked for an emergency meeting. He frowned, his staff leaving a trail of ice behind him on the red carpet. What was the emergency anyway?

"North? Phil?" the wind howling outside was the only sound to be heard, doors left open to hallways, toys left neatly stacked and waiting. Jack walked further into the silence, ears straining for anything.

His pulse quickened. "Guys?"

Could they have left without him? But then, where were the elves and the yetis?

"This seriously isn't funny." Were they getting back at him for something? It was a long list, but they knew there wasn't any malice behind any of his pranks, right?

"Tooth?" he picked up a paintbrush from a worktable, clean and waiting by a palette. The paint was starting to congeal on the top, but the brushes were clean and sat at attention. So that ruled out a kidnapping.

No, it was a joke. Any minute now they'd pop up and shove him in the sack again. He hoped they had at least washed it from last time.

"Sandy? Bunny?" Had he broken a rule? There were rules to this guardian stuff, right? He really hadn't done anything… at least not since Easter. Unless that was what this was all about. No, that would be a confrontation not… whatever this was. Even if this was an outside force who could take them on? Who would have a grudge?

Bunny had mentioned something about Fae stealing people away in the blink of an eye. At least an entire island of people had disappeared that way, Roanoke or something like that. Not even the Guardians knew what became of those people. There had been a conflict between the Guardians and the Fae before, judging by the hushed tone Bunny had used when he mentioned it.

But there was no sign of a struggle - it didn't even appear that they'd been spirited away in the midst of daily activities. Maybe there had been trouble at the Tooth Palace or the Warren. Would they have really left without him? He didn't think he was that late, but he honestly had no idea how long the lights had been in the sky before he'd noticed them.

He saw a flash of movement in the corner of his eye. He whirled around staff ready, but nothing was there. He silently thanked the moon that he hadn't yelled 'freeze' or anything so ridiculous.

Slowly he lowered his staff, wondering if he really was alone there. He heard a sound, a whoosh of fabric; he spun around as North pounced on him, swords flying. He jumped onto a table, barely blocking the blow.

"The hell, North?"

North answered with a guttural scream. He knocked Jack off balance with one sword, slicing him across the cheek with the other. Jack fell from the table, jumping behind another one.

"North, what's going on?"

What had he done? North threw the table aside, sending toys crashing to the floor. He barreled after him. Jack ran.

'They'll never really accept you' He'd replayed that sentence in his mind before, turning it over. He'd imagined them ignoring him, excluding him from all but the most important functions. But this? They wouldn't hurt him.

Daggers whizzed pasted him, grazing his arm and burying themselves into the walls.

So what had happened to North?

North threw a chair. It shattered on impact where he had just been. He had to get out of here. He'd find Tooth or Sandy; they'd know what to do. His heart dropped to his stomach. He'd been late - they'd have gotten here before him. That meant…

North jumped out in front of him, blocking the hall. He froze the man's feet to the ground, dodging his swords. He left a trail of ice behind him, coating the hallway. North broke free and was after him again, briefly slipping on the ice.

The hallway came to a sudden turn. Where was he? Which way had he come in?

North appeared in front of him, blocking the hall. Pain erupted in his neck as North's blade caught in his staff. He wrenched it from his hands, head spinning as he heard it clatter away.

North gripped him by his shirt holding him above his head, other sword back. Jack closed his eyes, putting his concentration in his shaking hand. A blast of energy sent them both flying back.

Jack crashed through a door, wood splintering around him. He struggled, pinned beneath the rubble. He heard North approach, footsteps echoing in the large room. He placed a heavy boot on his chest, sword inches from his nose. Crap.

North drew the sword back though, a thoughtful look passing his face.

"I don't know, what do you guys think? A four?"

"A one, maybe." Bunnymund's voice came from the rafters.

Golden sand pulled the rubble off of him and North helped him to his feet.

"A good first try, but I have few pointers."

He flinched away from North's grasp. "The. Hell. Was. That." He was still shaking, anger slowly replacing fear.

North's smile broadened, throwing his arms in the air. "Is Sparring day!"

They were in a large round room, balconies going several stories up. Skylights in all directions set in the round ceiling, yetis and elves hard at work moving furniture and setting up colorful gym mats and punching bags, hanging racks of weapons. Tooth and Sandy flew to ground level, Bunny simply hopping down to the floor.

Mini fairies darted out the doorframe, returning with his staff. He took it from them, letting them nuzzle his face as they fluttered around checking him for injuries. They fussed over cuts they found across his cheek and knuckles, flying at North in scolding chirps.

"Sparring?"

"Pitch caught us off guard last time. Will not happen again."

"So we go kamikaze on each other once a month?"

"So we train!" North slapped him on the back, nearly knocking him off his feet. "Once a week, except around holidays."

"Seriously? Like you guys have time for this?"

Tooth threw her arms around him, knocking the wind from his lungs. "We'll make time. Sandy and I already agreed."

Sandy nodded excitedly - Kung Fu fights and swords flying around his head.

"Yetis are already getting room ready for training. We are all rusty, and since Jack needs most training –"

"Wait what? I need the most training?"

"We all train Jack. Will work with swords, different styles, and honing powers – "

"Seriously North?"

North continued on, waving his swords around wildly. "… Perhaps create new style!"

"He can hear me right?" He looked over at the others. "You guys hear me?"

Bunny shook his head. "He don't hear much when he gets like this. Give it a minute."

"Long swords, broadswords, scimitars, sabers…"

He leapt in front of North. "I have my staff, what do I need a sword for?"

North set a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Ah, but Pitch broke staff. He can break it again."

"How did you even -" he stopped short, finding Baby Tooth in the crowd of Teeth. He glared at her as she chirped and darted behind her mother's head.

"Little traitor." He turned back to North, unwilling to back down now that he had the man's attention. "I can use my powers just fine."

"Ya had an ability you didn't even know existed." Bunnymund put in. "Seems to me, you could use some work."

He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "You guys aren't going to drop this are you?"

"Nope."

"No,"

"Probably not."

He didn't even look up to see Sandy's response.

"And if I just say no?"

Bunny shrugged. "We could have North chase you down and drag ya here once a week. Ya know he would."

"Is fun!" North agreed.

"You did take the oath." Tooth reminded.

"There's some fine print for you." Tooth flinched at his response. Guilt stung at him. Anger aside, actually spending time with people seemed… nice. A familiar longing mixed with an itch for freedom. But how free could he really be with a crazed Russian constantly tracking him down?

"Fine, whatever. Just don't do that again." He'd think of some conditions later.

"No promises. But next time, you will know sneak attack is just game."

He had a few games in mind for them now.


	3. Chapter 2

Apparently, nothing made sense anymore after you died. Ghosts roamed the streets and stalked walkways, creatures Avery couldn't name played pranks, and tiny birds flitted out of windows at night carrying… teeth? It had been weeks before she could get a ghost to respond to her.

He wore the rags of a sailor uniform like she had seen in a text book once. A noose hung around his neck, tossed over one shoulder. He leaned against the stoop of an old building, dead eyes floating around in their sockets.

"Where ye going there girly?"

Avery flinched. "You… you're talking to me?"

The man shrugged. "Don't see any other girlies. Newly dead, judgin' by your rosy complexion there. Have a seat, we got all the time in the world."

She hesitated, glancing around. An escape route, no witnesses - no, she was dead. No one could hurt her anymore. She sat down on a barrel next to where the old man was leaning. The scent of tabacco and rotted fish hit her like a wall. Who would have thought a spirit would have a scent?

Avery stared down at her bunny slippers. "So… any advice for the 'newly dead' then?"

"Find a medium. That's always ye best bet." He fiddled with the hook he'd replaced his hand with, never quite getting it to fit right.

"A what now?"

He shrugged, sending his eyes bobbing again. "A medium, psychic, necromancer… t'aint that many words for 'em. They be the only ones that can readily see us. Sometimes a mortal will glimpse ya, usually in the dark or ina mist. But a medium will always feel ya, even if they don't see ya right away."

She ran a hand through her short auburn hair. "What about children?"

"Aye, children are easier. They often have the gift, though most outgrow it outa self-preservation. Halfa the time a mortal won't see ya outa sheer stubbornness cause they don't believe in ya. Or won't believe in ya. Even without the gift children are more likely ta see ya cause they'll believe." He paused, a thoughtful look passing over his rotted face. "Though, truth be told I have heard sometin' about 'kindred spirits' or some nonsense like that. Gift or not they can always see ya, whether they believe or not. Some say it's because you're two 'o a kind, others tell that ye were meant to meet. That is, till ya died. But what do I know? Might not even be true."

Avery's stomache knotted.

She swallowed hard, brushing over the topic. "So what do I need a medium for?"

"Ta help you move on. Ye don't want to be stuck here forever, do ye? You'll get all bonny like me." He laughed. Somehow, she didn't think the dead should be this happy.

"How do I find one?"

He grinned. "Ah, that's the trick, idnt it? Mediums are rare in the first place, and if a ghost has a medium they protect it like the grail."

"Protect them? Protect them from what?" They couldn't all have parents like hers, could they?

"Other ghosts that don't wanna move on. Demons. Fae. The boogey man even. Nature spirits even have problems wit 'em. Cause if a mortal can see this world then they become very popular. If a mortal can see you, you can touch them. Ifn' you can touch 'em, you can hurt 'em. Plus, their souls are valuable if you know how to take them. Or so I been told."

"Why are you here?"

"Ta find me hand, I think. Truth be told, I don't remember. After bein' dead awhile ya start to lose yourself. Ye seen the walkers, just wandering around the same path, moaning the same thing. They forgot who they were, what they were lookin' for, why they're here. Now all that's left is that broken memory."

Forgetting didn't sound all that bad. She'd been wishing for that for some months now. But a walker? They were dead even to other ghosts, she'd passed right through one she'd tried to talk to like it had been alive. At least a mortal would have shivered as it walked through her. Maybe there was a way.

"In the end lass, it all comes down to how to spend eternity. Silly mortals wishin' for forever, when in reality ifn they get it they 'ave no idea what to do wit it." He slid an arm around her thin shoulder. "Spendin eternity wit a lass like you would make it bearable."

She sneered at him, breaking away. "Your accent breaks. It changes too. "

He smiled, showing rotten teeth. "Do it now? Well, I guess even me voice forgets who I'm supposed to be."

He hadn't been particularly helpful, but she hadn't spoken with anyone since Billy.


	4. Chapter 3

North gathered them on an upstairs balcony while the yetis cleaned up the destroyed door below. The scent of pine and sawdust hung on this floor, masking the cinnamon and hickory that seemed to be imbedded in the walls. North had a round table set up on the balcony, the start of some design freshly carved into the wood. Most of it was buried under saw dust, faint pencil marks that have yet to be carved out. North hurriedly set a sheet over it as they approached, sawdust flying in the air.

Jack heard some of the yetis grumble about the shattered door below - occasionally North's name was muttered. Frost barely understood them at the best of times - the phrases 'get out' and 'intruder' were the first he learned. Understanding was one thing - he never could imitate the sounds. The wind laughed every time he tried.

Tooth brushed the sawdust off of her seat while Bunny tipped the debris off his.

He flopped on a chair, propping his feet up on the table. Bunny glared ahead as North carried on, though Jack had stopped listening a while ago. It took him a moment to realize that the glare was meant for him, that he was one of the people North was addressing.

"…have been working on new projects. Most will not be ready until Christmas, if lucky." He dragged them out here to pick on the new kid and show off new toy designs?

"But I do have some gifts for now."

Guardians got presents? Tooth and Bunny exchanged glances, eyebrows raised. Sandy's chest shook in a silent laugh as he clapped his hands together.

"First for Tooth," With a sweeping bow North pulled a long box out from behind his back. Tooth laughed while Bunny rolled his eyes. At least there was no orchestra this time.

"They cannot replace the ones you lost, but I did make them special."

Her face lit up as she delicately tore into the package. She held up the twin blades, bright gunmetal grey.

"Oh, you got the balance just right!"

He handed Sandy something that from where Jack was sitting looked like an amber glass jar. Bunny's was a switch blade. North was grinning ear to ear as he handed Jack a small box. All eyes were on him suddenly. He slowly pulled the ribbon off the box. A small brass key nestled in tissue paper. He grinned, fighting back a laugh. Better than a glass jar, he guessed.

"Wow, thanks, North."

North smiled wider, turning back to business.

"Have several bigger surprises underway for Christmas. Need to get measurements for Jack, and Sandy's gift is still in development."

Somehow, the idea of getting groped by a yeti with a tape measure didn't sound like good times. If what North had in mind was anything like those shoes, he'd pass. For the time being, he just hoped North wouldn't bring up the discarded gift.

"Am working on special explosives for you, Bunny. I had hoped to have them ready by now, but testing has proved them to be…temperamental. Might also be missing an elf, I have to do head count."

Bunny's ears shot up. "My explosives killed an elf?"

"Not killed, just missing. Trust me, would take A-Bomb to kill elf. They have tried most anything but that, and still around."

Self-destructive behavior from the elves didn't surprise him, except that North would notice. Must have been on a large scale, he'd ask Phil later.

Tooth fidgeted in her seat, drumming her fingers on the hilts of her blades while Bunny and North continued on, forgetting everyone else in the room. Sandy sighed, looking from Tooth to the two arguing men. Sandy studied Jack for a moment, turning his head to the side. He tumbled out of his seat and skittered to the other end of the loft. Jack chuckled, watching him waddle instead of float.

Tooth bit her lip, running her thumb over the edge of one of the blades. "Not to complain North, really, but did you remember iron?"

The two remained oblivious, North gesturing wildly while Bunny kept his arms crossed over his chest.

"Is not animal testing, elf testing!"

"Still inhumane."

"They enjoy!"

Tooth didn't wait for an answer, closings her eyes as she ran her palm over the dull spine. "I think I feel iron. Silver too? You really did cover the basics."

Sandy started digging through chests of weapons, tossing some over his shoulder before disappearing into the box.

"Demented little things probably don't even know what they're doing."

"Would like to see you try to stop them."

Was Bunny actually sympathetic with the elves, or did he just like arguing? Tooth flitted to the air, holding the swords up to the light.

Sandy emerged from the chest, holding a club up to Jack. He shook his head and continued digging. What was he looking for?

Tooth swung her blades around, making them whistle in the air. "And they're so light!"

Sandy held a flail up to Jack, briefly considering. Back in the chest it went.

"Where do we even start, North?"

"We started with assessment"

Bunny nodded. "Kid got a one."

"A four," Jack muttered. Sandy moved on to the weapon racks, shoving elves out of his way. "Do they do this a lot, Sandy?"

Sandy nodded, spreading his arms wide

Tooth's voice echoed from the rafters. "You even remembered my favorite gems for the hilts!"

"We start with lessons and light sparring."

"Lessons in what, mate? The kid has no focus."

Tooth flitted around the balconies overhead. "Where is that practice dummy? I saw the yetis bring it in earlier…"

"You teach him, then." North continued.

"Teach him what? Tai chi? I'd have better luck with the fairies with that."

"If going to complain, you can at least try to help."

Jack wondered how long it would take them to notice if he slipped out of one of the skylights. Sandy leapt down from a balcony, weapon held over his head. Jack swung his legs off the table, stretching as he got to his feet.

"Whatcha got there, Sandy?"

Tooth was by his side in a second, the breeze from her wings stirring up sawdust. "That's a bo staff, sweetie."

"Bo staff!" North boomed. "Great idea, Sandy. Is perfect weapon to start with."

Jack turned the bo over in his hands, feeling for the weight. "Don't really see the difference."

Bunny pointed a finger at him, pinning him to the spot. "The difference is, we won't get frozen to the ceiling trying to teach you basic forms."

"Ceiling? Please. Railings maybe, definitely the floor." Although he could probably get a few elves up there. He handed the bo staff back. "Really won't be a problem."

"It will be a problem, Jack," Tooth said. "Having believers will make you stronger."

"What, all seven of them?"

"There will be more. It always starts out like that."

"Except we already had believers when we became Guardians. He might catch on with the kids, after a few centuries."

She glared at Bunny, feathers ruffing down her spine. Jack took a step back, remembering the swords clutched in her small hands. North stepped between Tooth and Bunny.

"Tooth, you are wanting to test out swords?"

"Oh yes!"

"We will spar. Sandy, you and Bunny show Jack bo staff form."

Tooth flitted across the room. North placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, handing him back the bo staff.

"She's, uh, kind of scary."

North nodded. "Should have seen her in younger days. Terrifying. Much calmer now. Hard to make her mad, but please, Jack, don't try to. It's not worth it."

"Yeah, don't have to worry about that."

Every sound echoed in the gym, North and Tooth's battle cries at avalanche volume. Jack raised an eyebrow at the sounds.

"Why are they…?"

"Keeps adrenaline up, keeps ya breathing. You've never been to a dojo before? A boxing match even?"

"I guess not." He had seen fights, battles that bled out in the snow. No one ever bothered to explain why they were screaming, he'd always just assumed fear and rage powered them.

He tried to focus on Sandy, copying his movements. Every now and then Sandy would correct him, gently nudging a limb to the right position. The wind had done the same thing when teaching him to fly. The screams kept pulling him back, his mind wandering to all the poems he'd ever heard about blood on snow.

"Couldn't we have some music or something? A kazoo even?" An elf kazoo band came to mind, Phil conducting with a candy cane. Not that big of a stretch, in his opinion.

"As if you didn't have enough problems concentrating already, Frostbite."

Tooth fluttered by, flicking Bunny's ear. "What's wrong, Aster? Don't you like music anymore?"

The wind almost knocked him off his feet. "Wait, wait. Aster? Who the hell is Aster?"

"I'm Aster, stupid."

"Then why are they always calling you Bunny?"

"Bunnymund. It's my surname. E. Aster Bunnymund."

Jack laughed. "Seriously? Isn't an aster a flower or something?" Sandy slashed a finger across his throat, shaking his head. This was just too fun.

"Yes."

"So why did your parents give you a girl's name?

North sighed. "Oh moon."

"It's not a girl's name, it's a Pooka name.

"Now you're just making stuff up."

"I'm a Pooka."

"I thought you were a Bunny."

Bunny closed the space between them. "Bunnymund"

"If you're not even a bunny, why'd you get so mad about the kangaroo thing?"

"Who wants cocoa? Bunny, elves have new recipe." North led Aster away, as subtle as ever. Jack placed the bo down on a bench, taking back his staff. He turned it over in his hands, still expecting to find it cracked and splintered.

"I thought I should warn you Jack. North is worried about you losing your staff… worried in general, really. We all were after you left…" Tooth was wringing her hands, trying not to look at him. Baby Tooth perched on Jack's shoulder, apologetically nuzzling his cheek.

_'Didn't mean to tattle'_

"We wanted to ask you what happened on Easter, but you left in such a hurry when we all woke up. I asked Baby Tooth what happened after the um, slumber party. She kept going on about you being her hero... it never occurred to her that you wouldn't want us to know."

"It's fine. Not like I can stay mad at her anyway."

The little bird chirped happily, pecking his cheek.

She relaxed. "You really didn't know, Jack? About Aster?"

He shrugged. "I just assumed a cranky rabbit stood up one day and decided to yell in Australian and paint eggs. Makes as much sense as anything else."

Tooth giggled. "He only really has an accent in English. He was in Australia when he mastered it, back when it was still being settled. He hadn't bothered with many human languages before then."

"Human languages? What did you all speak before then?"

"Russian mostly, for North's sake. He knew a few other languages too, from his bandit days."

"Wait, what? Bandit days?"

"Oh, he'll love to tell you all about it. Nick St. North, the bandit king." She giggled again. "He probably exaggerates the stories, but who knows? If you want a more accurate account, go to his library. The chronicles there were written centuries ago, when his fish tales were only minnows."

He laughed, wondering where Sandy got to. "So what does the E. stand for?"

"He won't tell us. He claims it's because names are magic, but I think it just embarrasses him."

"Names are magic?"

"Well, to Fae they are. Or at least they used to be. Some spells will only work with a full or 'true name'. We'll have to teach you magic, too. Voodoo, runes, potions, exorcisms, enchantments," her smile widened. "Maybe we can have music next time. We always had music before - I think North still has a gramophone somewhere."

He smirked, holding back a laugh. "Gramophone? I haven't seen one of those in a while."

"I suppose it has been a long time. The gramophone was brand new when he got it. We didn't really use it much, but before that…"she stopped short, wings slowing. "Before that we had this music box. It could play any song but only if we'd heard it before. We'd all heard a lot by then, it was really a strange mix. North actually wrote a few songs, the chords for them anyway. Katherine wrote the words, and once we even got Aster to dance…" her voice trailed off as she sunk to the floor. She smiled again. "Well, maybe you can show us some modern music?"

"I think I can handle that."

She threw her arms around him again, wings picking up. "This is going to be great, Jack, you'll see."


End file.
